The Imitation Game

TANGLED UP IN BLUE

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

– Charles Caleb Colton

Say what you will about Mr. Colton’s oft-used quote, but he was definitely on to something.

When Bob Dylan was starting out on the Greenwich Village coffee house circuit in the early 60’s, some critics dismissed him as a pale imitation of Woody Guthrie. As Woody was one of his heroes, I’m sure he wasn’t too bothered.

I wasn’t around for those remarks but I clearly remember ones hurled at Quentin Tarantino’s in the early 90’s – “Martin Scorsese clone”, etc.

Anyone who’s heard Dylan’s pre-electric music or watched an early Tarantino film recognizes some truth in these observations.

They also recognize that both Dylan and Tarantino went on to craft their own distinct styles while building on the work of their heros.

After all, isn’t imitation a form of flattery?

Yes. And more.

I see it as a natural step to finding one’s own voice.

I’d argue that Dylan borrowed from the great Guthrie on his way to becoming even greater (I’ll let the cinephiles out there debate QT vs. Marty).

To become great in any field, i.e. an original thinker with ideas that make a real impact, you too will have to copy what you…[to continue reading, see The Path to Peak Performance]

MY TOP 3 ALBUMS OF 2015

Imitation and/or homage very much alive in the new music I heard last year, here are the 3 standouts:

1. Matthew E. White – Fresh Blood

You know how I feel about the big white Yeti from Virginia (if not, see “White Is the New Black”).

2. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear

To sample the work of the Padre, check out these dance moves pre-Honeybear:

3. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell

Although I’ve casually followed this eccentric Brooklynite for a good 10 years, nothing prepared me for this.

Returning to ‘Greatness via Imitation’, Sufjan Stevens finds his own voice while somehow channeling the spirits of Jeff Buckley and Elliot Smith on his 7th studio album.

Inspired by the death of his schizophrenic mother, Carrie is both eerie and ethereal. His sparse guitar picking is pure Smith (no stranger to sadness) while his nuanced voice evokes Buckley at his most vulnerable and intimate.

Inspired by the death of his schizophrenic mother, ‘Carrie’ is both eerie and ethereal. His sparse guitar picking is pure Smith (no stranger to sadness) while his nuanced voice evokes Buckley at his most vulnerable and intimate.

If you’re a fan of either of these 20th century originals, give this a listen:

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these 21st century anti-rock stars. And what was the best thing you heard last year?

 

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Gotta Keep It New to Keep It True

Something happened to me recently that hasn’t happened in a long time. I was totally moved by some song lyrics.

Wise beyond any of the psychobabble that is my daily life and profession, they could have been written by a 12-year-old…

You’ve gotta make it new

You’ve gotta keep it new to keep it true

And you’re allowed to do anything you gotta do…

 Beskirted Ezra Furman on New Album Cover

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I’ve always been more of a music than a lyrics guy. Guess that’s why I preferred Paul over John most of my life.

But with these 3 simple lines, Ezra Furman and his Boyfriends got me.

Here’s a fun, quick 3-step experiment (2 min. 20 sec.):

1. Click here

2. Click on #7 track, ‘Ordinary Life’

3. Close your eyes & listen to track

What did you think? Was it worth the 140 seconds?

It should be noted that I saw Mr. Furman live in Munich back in ’10, then with the Harpoons; I even picked up a copy of one of his early records.

Check out this catchy MTV-friendly video from Inside the Human Body:

“Take Off Your Sunglasses”

Sounding a mix between a young David Byrne and the Violent Femmes at their most fey, this chameleon from Chicago is doing something right.

He’s still making records after his 15 minutes, that is.

I realize my last several posts have been about new music. But in the age of pre-packaged rock stars, I find Matthew E. White and Ezra Furman a BIG breath of fresh air (Big & Tall sized suits & frilly dresses vs. skinny jeans & hipster boots).

White Is The New Black

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Besides, if this childhood photo is anything to go by I was hooked on tunes from a very early age – early favorites were Carole King’s Tapestry & Chipmunks Sing The Beatles; I really loved that orange chair, too.

I Feel The Earth Move circa ’73

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And maybe this is the new hip – your parents’ give-away closet? Impossible to imitate. Nice.

So if you liked ‘Ordinary Life’, give the rest of the album a listen.

Better yet, go “old school” – pick it up at the shop and put it in the home stereo…you still got one of those?

“Ob-La-Di-Bla-Da, Brother!” – John Lennon circa ’68

Let me know your thoughts on Ezra or the state of pop music in 2015?

The Ghost of Rock & Roll Past (Part Deux)

Dear friends,

Here are your cumulative answers to the Matthew E. White Tribute Challenge along with my 3 top (strongest influence) choices with corresponding links:

Song #1:  Steady Pace

Your artists-songs:

• Mungo Jerry – In the Summertime
• Stealer’s Wheel – Stuck in the Middle with You
• Earth, Wind & Fire
• J.J. Cale mixed with Jamiroquai
• The Band – The Weight
• Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
• Van Morrison (match)

Your average score:  8

My artist-song:  Van Morrison – Crazy Love (live w Ray Charles)

My score:  7.5

Song #2:  Rock & Roll is Cold

Your artists – songs:

• Derek & The Dominos (E. Clapton)
• Eric Clapton – Lay Down Sally/Promises & Jack Johnson
• The Faces/Small Faces
• Terence Trent D’arby – Wishing Well + Jack Johnson, ZZ Top & Sonia Dada
• Van Morrison, Jack Johnson & Warren Zevon (match)

Your average score:  8

My artist/song:  Warren Zevon – Werewolves of London

My score:  10

Song #3:  Feeling Good is Good Enough

Your artists – songs:

• The Beatles – Hey Jude
• Eric Clapton – Slowhand
• Ben Harper
• Hall & Oates (early)
• Marvin Gaye meets The Band arranged by Becker and Fagan (Steely Dan) + The Beatles – Hey Jude
• Hall and Oates – Sarah Smile + Elton John (match)
• The Rolling Stones

Your average score:  6.8

My artist – song:  Elton John-Tiny Dancer (from Almost Famous)

My score:  8

Thanks for playing and have a great summer!

The Ghost of Rock & Roll Past

“I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”

In 1974 music critic Jon Landau made this bold claim.

Well, I’m no Jon Landau nor have I been visited by any Dickensian Ghosts but I do believe I’ve just seen rock and roll past…and it resembles the Yeti…in white.

The missing link between Stevie Wonder ’72 & James Murphy ’05

Here’s the song that blew me away when I heard it a few months ago:

Big Love

Part soul man, part funk meister, this anti-hipster from Richmond, Virginia knows how to pay tribute to the greats without ripping them off.

And if White resembles any part of the future of rock and roll circa 2015, I’m in.

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD.

For about 10 years between 1997 and 2007 there was no activity I spent more time on than reading about music. But before we go there, a brief history…

I came into pop music consciousness in late 1980, early 1981. I clearly remember listening to John Lennon’s (Just Like) Starting Over climb up Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 shortly after his death.

One too many “long distance dedications”

If the warmhearted DJ was also a big part of your youthful weekends, you might enjoy Casey’s little studio meltdown (warning – contains explicit language):  Meltdown

Eventually my love for the iconic countdown waned, but not for music.

I spent countless hours practicing my fall-away jumper to the sounds of the Thompson Twins and The Doors blaring out my bedroom window.

In defense of my 14 year-old self, I recently heard the Twins’ If You Were Here and was amazed by how good it was…but that could very well be a case of nostalgia clouding judgement. Any thoughts?

Music was front and center of everything I did through high school, college and beyond.

WANDERLUST.

What changed around 1997 was the reading part.

Sure I’d picked up the occasional Rolling Stone in high school but it wasn’t until living in Far East Asia in the mid-90’s that I learned to appreciate the written word…

Finding an English book or magazine in Inchon, South Korea in 1995 was like finding high-speed internet in Siberia during a snowstorm.

However it was in a tiny shop close to the DMZ where I picked up an indie sampler CD featuring two artists that would change my life forever.

Jeff Buckley’s Grace would go on to become one of my favorite songs of all-time and Wonderwall, well, more on Oasis later.

A few years after my stint on the Korean border, I landed in the more pop-friendly city of Matsuyama, Japan.

Matsuyama even offered a full-fledged Tower Records where I made regular purchases of CD’s and magazines. The year was 1997 and the Union Jack was everywhere.

Faster than a cannonball…

It was at this time I picked up a copy of The Beatles newly released Anthology 3 “warts and all” collection.

It should be noted that in addition to the comprehensive BBC Anthology series, the Gallaghers had played a big role in the renewed interest in the lads.

So while buried in Brit Pop at its drug-addled peak I was discovering late-period Beatles, beards and all.

Lennon’s suit look familiar?

It also happened to be the first time in my life I was living alone. I cooked, read, even exercised in the confines of my tiny flat, making for an intense listening experience – every word, every note, every joke intimate.

Here’s one from Paul Ramon, Winston Legthigh and mates circa ’68:  Los Paranoias

The listening had suddenly shifted from dorm room passive to Cracker Jacks box active – a familiar setting from my childhood.

A few years later I’d be living in a new country, no longer alone but with the reading part at full throttle. There was even a point at the dawn of the new millennium when I found myself subscribing to three music magazines at once.

Needless to say, there wasn’t a whole lot of work getting done at the breakfast table. But after years of intense listening I was starting to connect some big dots…

“So before the Stones, Ronnie Wood was with The Faces…and before he was a Face, he and Rod Stewart played with The Jeff Beck Group…and what about that first band that turned into the Faces, those little guys? They were damn good”…and so it went.

Incidentally, the music I love most today was crystallized through all that digging.

As long as I’m alive I’m convinced that pop music will never be better than The Beatles between ’65 – ’69, The Rolling Stones from ’68 to ’72 and a handful of other greats during those same years – many of whom you just might hear in White’s humble musical output.

HEY HO, LET’S GO.

But rather than take my word for it, let’s play a little game.

It’s called “The Matthew E. White Tribute Challenge”.

Here’s how to play:

1. Watch video, listen to full song (eyes closed if helpful).
2. Which artist and song does White’s track remind you of (more than 1 answer possible)?
3. On a scale from 1 – 10, how do you rate his song/tribute?

• Challenge #1:  Steady Pace
• Challenge #2:  Rock & Roll is Cold
• Challenge #3:  Feeling Good is Good Enough

Please share your answers with me in the comments below and I’ll let you know if they match mine. Happy listening!